In Living

OnMilwaukee.com recommends, Jan. 7, 2012

Need a good read, a cool in-theater drink or a "NuFace?" OnMilwaukee.com Recommends is here to help. Read on to get the scoop on these problem-solving products.

NuFace – Since forgoing the Botox needle, I've been looking for non-invasive options to treat my furrows and crow's feet. Enter my new hero: NuFace. NuFace, the "first and only FDA-approved home use microcurrent facial toning device," was originally developed to help Bell's Palsy sufferers rehabilitate their facial muscles. Using the space-age looking round metal probes for just five minutes a day is purported to help lift, firm and tighten skin, as well as lift the brows and contour the cheekbones and jawline. So, does it work? I was willing to try it out! NuFace sent me their "classic" device to try out. For three weeks, I committed to a nightly regimen of cleansing my face and then using the NuFace as directed. A conductivity gel must be applied before gliding the NuFace over the skin in a specific pattern and technique easily learned through the company's website and included DVD. NuFace also suggests using a water-based serum (I used a Vitamin C serum) under the gel to enhance the treatment as the microcurrent penetrates product deeper into the skin. I noticed an immediate firming and tightening after the first use (which becomes addicting!) and each consecutive use that made me look forward to cranking my NuFace to the highest setting. Weekly self-portrait photos showed a slight, but noticeable improvement in the area of most concern for me – my forehead and brows. The lure for me is the instant effects of the NuFace – great for using before special events! Curious for a NuFace lift for yourself? NuFace is available as an "add-on" treatment to facials and for purchase for home use at Woodhouse Day Spa in Mukwonago. – Lindsay Garric

"I Used to Think ... And Now I Think" (Harvard Education Press) – Sometimes the best things come in small packages. Like this slim paperback edited by Richard F. Elmore, who got the idea from an exercise he uses at the end of his classes and seminars, that asks 20 education folks – including Deborah Meier, Howard Gardner, Sonia Nieto and Frederick Hess – to, in the words of the subtitle, "Reflect on the Work of School Reform." The result are 20 quick – but often deep – insights into how folks' beliefs and realities can change (or not) over time. Most of the authors used the space to reflect on the arcs and achievements of their own careers and how they relate to the broader work of school reform. Some, like Brad Jupp's "Rethinking Unions' Roles in Education Reform," for example, offer a path forward in a changing landscape. A simple idea that has sparked one of the best education books of the year. – Bobby Tanzilo

To-go cups at The Rep – I had not been to The Milwaukee Repertory Theater in a while, but last night I saw "Next To Normal" and it was standing ovation material from the very first line. As an added bonus, I was delighted to see you can now bring beverages into the Quadracci Powerhouse to enjoy during the show if you purchase a $2 reusable cup that looks kind of like a sippy cup for adults. After all, everyone knows live stage performance viewing is incredibly thirsty work. – Molly Snyder

Talkbacks

Molly, the to-go cups at the rep are classic. I laughed the first time I was served wine in one, but then it became essential halfway through the show. Sometimes we simply need to be treated like a kid. Still have it in the ol' cupboard. Thanks for the reminder, maybe i'll take it for a walk this week. :)

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